By Olivia Jablonski
Live Wire Editor-in-Chief

Reyna at the 2014 Burke Rehabilitation Hospital Wheelchair Games in White Plains, New York on September 20, 2014. Photo Courtesy by Martin Reyna

Bringing both the able-bodied and disabled on campus together to enjoy sports like track and field, table tennis and basketball is the mission of the Manchester Community College Hot Wheels Sports Club now being formed on campus.

Martin Reyna, an MCC student, is the driving force behind the new club. Reyna was prematurely born with spina bifida, or “split spine,” which is the most common permanently disabling birth defect in the United States, according to the Spina Bifida Association. He was also born with myelomeningocele, which is a birth defect in which the backbone and spinal canal do not close before birth, and hydrocephalus, which is the buildup of too much cerebrospinal fluid in the brain.

Reyna, who uses a wheelchair to get around, said his desire to start the club was inspired by the idea of wanting everyone at MCC to have a place to belong.

“The purpose of starting this club is to unite everyone, including the abled and disabled body individuals,” Reyna said. “We want them to be united and to create them as a whole, without any limits of disability and capability.”

Before arriving at MCC, Reyna attended the University of Hartford and said he felt out of place during his time there.

“Everyone just seemed to go their own way, they were not united, so there were limitations from one another,” Reyna said.

But people are more alike than they are different, Reyna said.

“For instance, people can play basketball in a wheelchair or when they are able to physically stand on the ground. Either way, it’s the same idea because we have the same typical settings of how to throw a ball,” he said.

Hot Wheels is not the first time able-bodied and disabled people have come together on campus to compete. Last spring MCC hosted a wheelchair basketball tournament with the Connecticut Spokebenders, who competed against faculty, staff and students. Students in the Introduction to Recreation and Leisure class hosted this event to raise awareness of adapted sports for individuals with disabilities.

Reyna throwing the javelin at the 2014 Burke Rehabilitation Hospital in White Plains, New York. Photo Courtesy by Martin Reyna.

The Connecticut Spokebenders Wheelchair Basketball Team is one of the longest running competitive wheelchair basketball teams registered with the National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA). Reyna said he hopes to have more wheelchair tournaments once Hot Wheels is established.

Although the Spokebenders will not be having any tournaments at MCC this year, or any other tournaments after the basketball season ends, they will have a couple of exhibition games, said to Carlos Quiles, Spokebenders’ coach.

“We are doing one on April 21st at Southern Connecticut State University where we take on students and faculty,” said Quiles. “Then April 24th at Hospital for Special Care in New Britain where we take on employees.”

For more information about joining the Hot Wheels Sports Club contact Martin Reyna at (860) 986-8653 or by email at mreyn0018@mail.ct.edu.